Igor Tudor reveals Djed Spence return date ahead of Tottenham vs Crystal Palace
Djed Spence is likely to return from injury when Tottenham face Atletico Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League last 16 tie.
The full-back missed Spurs’ defeat to Fulham on Sunday with a calf issue and will not be back in time to feature as Crystal Palace come to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Thursday evening.
Archie Gray filled in for Spence at left-back at Craven Cottage, and it is expected that the 19-year-old will continue in the unfamiliar position for the time being.
Tottenham go into the game against Palace looking for their first Premier League win in 2026, and interim boss Igor Tudor is already coming under pressure in North London.
Igor Tudor gives injury update ahead of Crystal Palace clash
Tottenham have been struggling badly with injury problems across the course of the campaign, and there is no let-up for Tudor this week.
Tudor confirmed in his pre-match press conference that Destiny Udogie and Dejan Kulusevski remain unavailable for the visit of Crystal Palace, along with Spence.
Udogie sustained a hamstring injury during Spurs’ 2-0 defeat to Manchester United back at the start of February, and has been out ever since, while Kulusevski is still battling with a knee problem that has plagued him for the best part of 10 months.
As for Spence, Tudor hopes the 25-year-old will be available for Tottenham’s trip to Atletico Madrid on 10 March, as they continue their Champions League campaign.
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Igor Tudor’s future in the balance at Tottenham
Despite the fitness issues within his squad, the Crystal Palace game has almost become a must-win for Tudor after his start to life in North London.
The former Juventus boss has lost both of his first two games in charge, 4-1 to Arsenal and 2-1 to Fulham, and has been unable to spark the turnaround that was expected when he came in.
Spurs are just four points clear of the relegation zone, and in real danger of being dragged into the bottom three if their poor form continues.
As for Tudor, there are rumours emerging that he could be sacked if the Lilywhites are beaten by Palace, despite it only being his third match at the club.
It would be a ridiculously short tenure for the Croatian, but with the Tottenham board fearing relegation, there is no guarantee that he will be given time.
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